The city was waking up as Ingrid led Gunnar through the streets. Her
stomach growled in protest as she passed a bakery, the faint smell of
biscuits filling the air. With her free hand, she reached into her pockets.
Glancing down, she inspected their meager contents. She gave a slight
groan. In her hand she held only three matches and a bit of lint.
"A lot of good that will do," she murmured, pushing them back into her pocket. "Matches are not going to buy us food."
Gunnar glanced up at her, furrowing his brow. She shook her head, not having the heart to translate.
As they walked by a fruit cart, Ingrid quickly scanned the street. The owner had his back turned, so she stealthily grabbed an apple and hid it under her cloak. She smiled to herself as they passed, listening to the owner's whistling as he returned his attention to the cart, completely oblivious to the missing fruit.
"Extra, Extra--" Spot stopped mid-headline when he saw the blond from the docks sitting on a bench a few blocks off, handing the young boy slices of apple. He kept a safe distance as if she were a wild animal that would flee if she spotted him.
She pulled her loose curls back with a small strip of cloth. He couldn't blame her, the mid-morning heat was beginning to beat down on the streets and the heat was becoming unbearable.
Spot watched as she handed the young boy another slice of apple. The little boy smiled, taking the slice eagerly. His feet didn't reach the ground and he kicked them carelessly as he munched on the apple. Fingering the jack in his pocket, Spot cracked a smile.
"Spot, we swimming this afternoon?"
Spot was completely oblivious to Striker's presence until a hand came down on his shoulder. "Huh?"
"Swimmin?"
"Uh, yeah sure." Spot kept his eye on the mysterious girl, who was playfully tickling her young companion.
"Alright, Spotty boy," Striker teased, "what's snaggin yer attention?"
Spot glared at his friend. "Watch yourself, boyo. You call me that again you'll meet the business end of my cane."
Striker smirked, knowing full well that Spot's threat was only half- hearted. Spot's attention once again turned up the street. Striker followed his line of sight until his eyes landed on a slender blond. "Well that's a distraction if I have ever seen one."
Spot shot his friend a grin, raising his eyebrows.
"Come on Romeo," Striker said, pulling at Spot's shoulder. "I think that you need to cool off."
Taking one last glance at the pair on the bench, Spot played with the jack in his pocket. Laughing in spite of himself, he turned and followed Striker toward the docks.
As dusk began to fall on the city, Ingrid once again tensed. They were no closer to finding a safe place to sleep and Gunnar was lagging sleepily behind her. She bit her lip nervously as they passed a dark alley. Through a gap in the buildings, she caught sight of the river. She sighed and looked down at the droopy eyed boy beside her. Sleeping in the same place more than one night was not a good idea, but she couldn't think of an alternative before darkness fell on the city.
Against her better judgment, she led Gunnar down the dock and settled him into the hollow where he had slept the night before.
"Will you tell me a story, Ingrid?" Gunnar asked quietly.
Ingrid settled with her back to one of the pillars. She slowly began a tale filled with trolls and Vikings.
"A lot of good that will do," she murmured, pushing them back into her pocket. "Matches are not going to buy us food."
Gunnar glanced up at her, furrowing his brow. She shook her head, not having the heart to translate.
As they walked by a fruit cart, Ingrid quickly scanned the street. The owner had his back turned, so she stealthily grabbed an apple and hid it under her cloak. She smiled to herself as they passed, listening to the owner's whistling as he returned his attention to the cart, completely oblivious to the missing fruit.
"Extra, Extra--" Spot stopped mid-headline when he saw the blond from the docks sitting on a bench a few blocks off, handing the young boy slices of apple. He kept a safe distance as if she were a wild animal that would flee if she spotted him.
She pulled her loose curls back with a small strip of cloth. He couldn't blame her, the mid-morning heat was beginning to beat down on the streets and the heat was becoming unbearable.
Spot watched as she handed the young boy another slice of apple. The little boy smiled, taking the slice eagerly. His feet didn't reach the ground and he kicked them carelessly as he munched on the apple. Fingering the jack in his pocket, Spot cracked a smile.
"Spot, we swimming this afternoon?"
Spot was completely oblivious to Striker's presence until a hand came down on his shoulder. "Huh?"
"Swimmin?"
"Uh, yeah sure." Spot kept his eye on the mysterious girl, who was playfully tickling her young companion.
"Alright, Spotty boy," Striker teased, "what's snaggin yer attention?"
Spot glared at his friend. "Watch yourself, boyo. You call me that again you'll meet the business end of my cane."
Striker smirked, knowing full well that Spot's threat was only half- hearted. Spot's attention once again turned up the street. Striker followed his line of sight until his eyes landed on a slender blond. "Well that's a distraction if I have ever seen one."
Spot shot his friend a grin, raising his eyebrows.
"Come on Romeo," Striker said, pulling at Spot's shoulder. "I think that you need to cool off."
Taking one last glance at the pair on the bench, Spot played with the jack in his pocket. Laughing in spite of himself, he turned and followed Striker toward the docks.
As dusk began to fall on the city, Ingrid once again tensed. They were no closer to finding a safe place to sleep and Gunnar was lagging sleepily behind her. She bit her lip nervously as they passed a dark alley. Through a gap in the buildings, she caught sight of the river. She sighed and looked down at the droopy eyed boy beside her. Sleeping in the same place more than one night was not a good idea, but she couldn't think of an alternative before darkness fell on the city.
Against her better judgment, she led Gunnar down the dock and settled him into the hollow where he had slept the night before.
"Will you tell me a story, Ingrid?" Gunnar asked quietly.
Ingrid settled with her back to one of the pillars. She slowly began a tale filled with trolls and Vikings.